Stewart Title & Trust Opens New Branch in Kingman, Ariz.

June 8, 2007

HOUSTON -- Stewart Title & Trust has opened a branch office in Kingman, located in the northwest part of Arizona, only 71 miles southeast of Hoover Dam.

"We want to build a successful operation in this well-located town," said Brian Hughes, president Stewart Title & Trust of Phoenix. "We are still seeing tremendous growth in the Las Vegas housing market and this part of Arizona is the next frontier for home building.

"Our new Mohave division president, Tom Basile, is a long-time title professional who has led our statewide marketing operation out of Phoenix," added Hughes. "We are so pleased that he is leading this new effort."

Kingman is the county seat of Mohave County, which grew 20.7 percent in population from 2000 to 2005, faster than the state's growth rate of 15.8 percent. Mohave County currently has a population of 187,200.

"The Hoover Dam Bypass Project will open this area of the state for its share of the population growth that the rest of Arizona has experienced," said Basile. "I have a great team in place and am looking forward to working with the home buyers, sellers, real estate professionals, builders, developers, lenders and other customers in this city and county."

Basile exemplifies the best of a title industry background, having worked formally in the industry since 1982 but literally growing up with family members all over the title and real estate industry. A Los Angeles native, he has lived in Arizona for 37 years and worked for Stewart Title for 12 years. He also has held an Arizona real estate license for 18 years.